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Monday December 13, 2010

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Stephen Fearing

It has been 20 years since songsmith Stephen Fearing released his self-titled debut. Over the following two decades, he has built up a very loyal and committed international audience.

Born in 1963 in Vancouver, he spent most of his boyhood and teenage years in Dublin. There, he picked up the guitar and traces of the Irish and English musical traditions that have informed his music ever since. After a short stint in the U.S. Midwest, he returned to Canada, and is now long-established as a regular and popular fixture on the folk club and festival circuit in North America and the U.K. Successful appearances at the prestigious WOMAD and Reading Festivals in the U.K. confirmed Fearing's ability to engage large audiences with his onstage charm. He has received a West Coast Music Award and five Juno Award nominations as a solo artist.

Like most contemporary songwriter/performers, Stephen is not bound by any particular musical genre or category and the release of his latest recording,Yellowjacket, continues this exploration of various musical forms, as does his continued participation in the highly successful Canadian roots rock super trio, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings. Over the past decade, B&RK have released three highly praised and award-winning albums including a Juno Award for their most recent release "BARK". "It's wonderful to be able to work as a solo artist and to be active in such a powerful ensemble as The Rodeo Kings. These guys are my friends and there is no doubt in my mind that my continuing work with them influences my solo playing very deeply". With two more Blackie records on the near-horizon plus an ongoing collaboration with Irish singer/songwriter Andy White, Stephen has never been more prolific. In his own words, "Yellowjacket feels like a new beginning."

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